The Choices We Make
by therapist
Summary: A simple question forces Rogue from her home, leading her to a life altering journey. This is her story...


Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution. Stan Lee and others (rich men in business suits) own them and I hope they don't sue me! If you did you'd get nothing…except for my dvd's of X-Men Evo…please don't take them away from me! They're all I have!

AN: Here's another story folks. Will I finish this or others? Probably but I'm not on any time constraint so who knows how long it'll be when I update. Hopefully my inspiration rat will gnaw at my head… okay, maybe not gnaw but I hope it'll bite something!

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The Choices We Make

It all started with a simple question. "Have you ever had a spiritual reading?" She did not think that question would change her life. If she had known advance of its life altering implications, she would most likely have ran away from her.

A month earlier, the Professor came to her with a suggestion of getting a job. She felt it had something to due with her being almost a recluse and him seeking to bring her out of her shell. She liked living in solitude. It did get lonely at times yet she felt at ease, almost at peace.

Unable to conjure up any reasons to decline the offer, she had said yes. He pulled some strings and got her a job at the local thrift store. Surprisingly, she loved her job. All the clothes she could touch, silk was her favorite, and a small crowd that kept to themselves. She would spend hours roaming the shelves, looking at vinyl records, books, and whatnots.

On that fateful day, the store was oddly empty. With her nose buried in her book, she almost didn't hear the woman's question. Rogue blinked rapidly, unsure if the woman had been speaking to her. She gazed around and discovered that the woman was indeed speaking to her.

"Um, no I haven't." The woman nodded sagely. Rogue eyed the woman suspiciously, she looked normal enough, yet she knew better than to judge based on looks.

"I don't do this very often but I would like to give you a reading." She looked at Rogue expectantly. Rogue considered her offer and after gazing around, making sure that they were alone, she nodded.

The woman tossed her loosely curled hair back and reached for her hand. Rogue wrenched her hand violently. The woman laughed lightly, not looking offended.

"I know," she said and Rogue did believe that she _knew_. With slight hesitation, she allowed the woman to grasp her hand. The woman closed her eyes and began to hum softly. The melody was somber and haunting.

After a minute passed, she could feel dread slowly creep up on her. _What am I doing? Why am I letting some woman, who is probably a nutcase, give me a spiritual reading? I do not even believe in this crap!_

The humming stopped and the woman opened her eyes. Her glazed eyes were staring at her yet not seeing her.

"Well this has been fun," Rogue said, hoping to break the unsettling silence. The woman's gaze focused and she released her hand. "But I have to get back to work."

The woman raised an eyebrow as she looked around the deserted store.

"Well anyone could come in and need my help," she muttered, rather lamely she thought. The woman smiled good-naturedly before allowing her features to fall. Rogue noted her crestfallen expression and her worry doubled.

"I have seen many things before yet, you my child, I have not seen anything like it before."

Ignoring the cotton wad now present in her mouth, she went on to ask the "question". Her lust for answers overpowered her worry; she could not help but brace for the answer though.

"Though your future is bright with many positive endings, each one trudges through a path of pain. You will hurt someone very close to you, though unintentionally."

She couldn't speak even though she desperately wanted to. Her mouth opened, only to close as her voice failed. She curbed her curiosity and chose to remain silent.

Yet, she continued on, much to her dismay. She began to pace slightly, her hands tugging on her shirt, her hair, giving her a wild look. "I see a…cat?"

Exit sanity, hello crazy. Despite her best effort, she could not keep her eyebrow from arching. With her curiosity extinguished, she felt a bit foolish for almost believing such rubbish.

_For a minute there, I actual bought it, right until she began speaking crazy. Why do I get all the weirdos?_

The woman, now muttering to no one, did not see Rogue's expression. Thinking she might have a while before the woman came back to her senses, she began to reach for her book. Like a snake, the woman struck out, she fingers enclosing on her arm, her exposed arm.

Screaming erupted from both of them, one out of pain, the other from the sheer sensations and visions barraging her mind, one much more powerful than the others…

_She groaned loudly, waking Kitty out of her of unconscious state. Looking cross, she turned her head to give her roommate a glare. Upon hearing her groan again, her anger immediately dissipated and worry replaced her features._

_She lay precariously close to the edge, her blankets askew. A slight sheen of sweat covered her contorted face; she looked as if she was in pain. _

_Kitty watched worriedly as she painfully moaned again. Glancing at the clock, it read three a.m. Looking caught between wanting to help and doing nothing, Kitty decided to do the latter. _

_She fell silent and then rose sharply into a sitting position. Kitty looked at her, clearly startled and her piercing eyes grabbed hers. They held no brightness, but were cloudy and hazed over. Her eyes widened as she leapt out of bed and tackled Kitty to the floor. Landing on top of the petite woman forced the air out of her lungs with an audible whoosh._

_She shoved her face inches from the Kitty's, it twisted with blatant anger. The dangerous gleam in her eyes made her whimper in fright. She recoiled from her stare, her protests wheezing painfully out of her lips._

_Drawing a deep breath, she managed a mighty scream before her hands reached for her. Using the blanket as a shield, Kitty valiantly fought to hold her off. As the struggle wore on, sweat beaded down her face, her muscles bulged with effort. _

_Upon hearing her noise emitting from the other side, Kitty's eyes darted hopefully toward the door. _

"_Hurry!" Kitty yelled; panic etched on her face as her began to lose ground in the struggle. The doorknob rattled incessantly and Kitty swore as the lock prevented any interference._

"_Not today, buddy," she whispered to her. Kitty blinked in confusion, before squealing as her hands slipped out of the blanket's grip and coiled around her neck. As the color drained from her face, her hands fell limply to her side._

_A small no weakly left her lips. Her dull and lifeless eyes bored into Kitty's. Her grip on her neck tightened and the edges of her vision began to darken. _

_The door splintered open and a group entered the room. Each stared at the scene in horror yet they did not make a move to stop it._

"_Rogue!" one yelled. He lunged forward, almost knocking his ruby glasses from his face. He desperately tried to pull her off the smaller girl, to no avail. The others stood rooted at the door, too stunned to act. Scott wanted to shout at them, to get them moving. Yet his struggle with her sapped all of his strength, even his voice. _

"_Get outta the way," growled a burly man, who arrived with the Professor. The Professor gave him a small nod and Wolverine marched forward. He shoved the immobile students aside and reached Scott side. He stepped back, giving Wolverine space. _

_She for her part paid them no heed, focused only on the quickly fading girl. She squeezed harder; a bluish tinge setting on Kitty's face. Wolverine ripped, for skin did break around Kitty neck where Rogue's hands were, the crazed girl away. He shoved her aside, none too gently. Scott winced as she bounced off wall like a rag doll. Wolverine gingerly scooped up Kitty, who lay limp in his arms._

As if waking from a long sleep, her body ached. Picking herself from the ground, her trembling arms sent her to the floor again. Pausing to catch her breath, the vision faded from her eyes yet not from her memory. It was so vivid; she could not shake it from her mind. The woman groaned as she came too.

"Whaddya do?" Rogue asked, unable to keep her voice from quavering. The woman pulled herself up, looking drained and unsteady on her feet.

"I showed you what I saw," she answered.

Millions of questions hammered her mind; her lips asked only one. "Why?"

"I can't explain why. I acted on instinct and it has never led me astray." With that, she left. Rogue watched her back, unable to voice her protest.

She managed to get into her chair, where she slumped against it. _I showed you what I saw_. Could it be true? Rogue shook her head, trying to convince herself that she did not believe in that mumbo jumbo.

_How could she know what Kitty looks like or how your room does for that matter?_

"Shaddup."

_You know that lying to us is impossible_.

True, she was now a human lie detector. What she picked up from the woman was no fabrication; it was the truth. Vision or not, it was a truth she believed wholeheartedly.

_It will happen…_

"No…" she whispered. She willed the voice to be silent.

_You cannot will me away, I am a part of you and soon Kitty will be here too._

"I won't let that happen." Even if it meant leaving, Kitty will not become like Cody.

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Another story started but fear not! I shall continue this and my other ones as well. I need some encouragement so everyone bring out your cattle prods and begin poking! Please R & R, you know you wanna...

therapist


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